RE: Renault Clio R.S.16 - full story

RE: Renault Clio R.S.16 - full story

Friday 27th May 2016

Renault Clio R.S.16 - full story

The inside line from the team that built the Megane-engined, 275hp Clio R.S.16



The first whisper of Renault Sport's big secret emerged early in February at the unveiling of the new Renault F1 team. That's where the first murmurings about a Clio RS being re-engineered to accept a 275hp Megane Trophy-R powertrain in a concept to be called R.S.16 were heard.

As weeks rolled by the secret expanded to include the fact that this car had prospects of going into production as a low-volume special, along Clio V6 lines. There was - and is - no firm commitment, but the ambition was to sell the car at around 45,000 euros in France, or around £40,000 here...

When the invitation to Renault's F1 launch arrived I was a bit bemused. That kind of exercise is usually a bit out of my line. Still, I joined the Grand Prix hack-pack at Renault's massive Technocentre, south of Versailles, and saw a great-looking new F1 car unveiled, chatted briefly to the new driving team of Magnussen and Palmer, and heard confident claims from Renault's F1 engine men that their much-maligned power unit would be better this year.

Now we're talking Renault
Now we're talking Renault
Rumour mill
Then out of the throng emerged Patrice Ratti, studious MD of the newly named Renault Sport Cars. In a quiet corner he revealed the existence of a couple of R.S.16 prototypes, briefly outlining the spec. The company was code-naming the car KZ-1 at that time, and it was being built, Ratti explained, to mark Renault Sport's 40th anniversary. It was "a somewhat crazy idea" he agreed, but would make one hell of a car.

Everyone could see the logic in Renault Sport building an attention grabbing Clio concept using hot shoe components they already had. Ratti's plan was to launch and demonstrate the car at Monaco, during the half-hour of circuit time Renault traditionally gets to impress the crowds on the day of Monaco GP qualifying.

However, it appeared there was more to the R.S.16 strategy than that. Renault Sport had recently launched its most disappointing car for years, the Clio Renault Sport 200, only partly addressing the problems in the subsequent 220 Trophy.

This new R.S.16 was clearly a reputation-protector for Renault Sport, even if Ratti couldn't yet confirm that his super-Clio would get to production. Come to our HQ in nearby Les Ulis in a month's time, he said, and see our progress.

Another Renault Sport legend?
Another Renault Sport legend?
In the metal
A few weeks later at Renault Sport Cars' base, a race shop-cum-design centre independent of the rest of Renault, there were more details. Two prototypes were there, one an all-black driving mule for dynamic testing and the second a Liquid Yellow demo car, which Kevin Magnussen was due to demonstrate to the Monaco crowds.

The spec was exciting, but complex. It's easy to talk about 'dropping' the 275hp 2.0-litre engine and gearbox from a Megane into a modified Clio shell, but this was actually a pretty complex job. Just making all the larger components fit had taken feasibility work. Then there was the business of designing new engine and gearbox mountings, including a beautiful new, machined-from-solid top mount. Other challenges included cooling, attempting to get two completely different electronic systems to talk to one another, and to seamlessly house stuff like instrumentation, fuel and exhaust systems with a view to making them production viable if given the go-ahead.

Getting the front suspension to handle the extra torque - 266lb ft from 3,000rpm - would require stiffer, stronger suspension uprights, the resulting bespoke components machined from solid. The dampers would be the special Ohlins adjustable items from the Megane Trophy-R, likewise the 15kg lighter lithium-ion battery. The front brakes were also from the Trophy-R's optional Nurburgring pack -- Brembos with 350mm steel discs on aluminium bells. The rear axle came straight from the Clio R3T rally car, a specially strengthened twist-beam, around 50 per cent stiffer.

60mm wider tracks give it some real attitude
60mm wider tracks give it some real attitude
Wide arched stare
The car would also get 60mm wider tracks front and rear with 19-inch Speedline Turinis and 235/35 Michelin tyres. The arches needed stretching to fit, cut back first and then extended with composite flares linked by neat side skirts.

Other body mods included a minor redesign of the front splitter to direct more air to the bigger intercooler, new daytime running lights inspired by Renault Sport's chequer logo and tailpipes from an all-new Akrapovic exhaust system. The Clio RS's diffuser stayed the same, but designer Franck Le Gall adopted the roof spoiler from the Clio Cup, reputed to add 40kg of downforce at 125mph. Inside, the car's look wasn't much different, apart from the obvious lack of a rear seat.

The schedule - to go from idea to running cars in five months - seemed crazy, but morale at Les Ulis was sky-high. Come to our test track at Aubevoye in a month's time, they said, and maybe you can have ride...

North-west of Paris, the Aubevoye proving ground is surrounded by forest for security, and contains 50 miles of test tracks. But the afternoon I was there only two miles mattered, those of the smoothly flowing handling track on which the R.S.16's development driver, David Praschl, would give passenger rides in the black car.

There was no preamble, no sighting lap. We erupted away from standstill, the car immediately demonstrating its lightness and agility on this wide, ultra-smooth track. Praschl is one of those brilliantly nonchalant factory drivers, stroking the car along with slick manual gearchanges at 6,500rpm, after the warning beep at 6,000rpm.

Stunning from the passenger seat - build it Renault!
Stunning from the passenger seat - build it Renault!
Shotgun!
From the passenger seat it felt fast and nimble. And so grippy. It was a warm day and we were leaving rubber everywhere. Most of the circuit's corners could accept 60-90mph, but the car was especially impressive out of a couple of slower ones, showing its terrific power-to-weight and traction. Praschl's antics through sweepers were entertaining too, setting the car up in understeer, in oversteer and neutrally on successive laps at the same corner.

After a neat, tidy and extremely quick six laps, it ends. Patrice Ratti tells me quietly that he won't know whether R.S.16 production can be justified until after Monaco, though he fervently hopes it can. Making it will be an expensive process, because the car needs a lot of bespoke parts and hand manufacture. If it makes it he sees two prospects: low-volume build (say, two cars a day) at Alpine in Dieppe. Or assembly from parts by a third party, much the way the British firm RML built a run of Nissan Juke Rs.

Renault Sport Cars much prefers the former outcome. But the Alpine way is complex; the company is in the throes of bringing its own car to production. But a solution has to be found. This Clio R.S.16 richly deserves to see the inside of a showroom, and pretty soon afterwards a circuit or back road where it can prove its credentials.

(Steve Cropley)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

Roma101

Original Poster:

835 posts

146 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Sounds mega. Will be interesting to see if they make it. Though £40k sounds a lot given the Trophy R was £36k ish plus options. I know there is more work to fit everything in compared to the Trophy R, but the basic components are on the shelf already. Good luck to them though.

Composite Guru

2,205 posts

202 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
£40k. No thanks. More ludicrous price than a Civic Type R.

I'd rather spend £40k on a proper marque.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Composite Guru said:
£40k. No thanks. More ludicrous price than a Civic Type R.

I'd rather spend £40k on a proper marque.
Does seem like its for super rich people with nothing better to spend their money on.

£40k gets you a hell of a lot of stuff.

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
the clio cup car is £34k
wonder how it would compare to this?

framerateuk

2,730 posts

183 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
WCZ said:
the clio cup car is £34k
wonder how it would compare to this?
On a track? Faster by a long shot. However, it isn't road legal.

This looks great and it's brilliant that they've crammed the Megane 275 components into the Clio. For a one off or low volume run it's a great idea.

Realistically though, the 1.6 engine in the 200/220 is much newer and more advanced than the old F4R in the Megane and I think a faster production Clio with better brakes and maybe a manual for those who want it (I'll stick with the EDC though!) would be better.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Roma101 said:
Sounds mega. Will be interesting to see if they make it. Though £40k sounds a lot given the Trophy R was £36k ish plus options. I know there is more work to fit everything in compared to the Trophy R, but the basic components are on the shelf already. Good luck to them though.
For a low volume car which needs so much bespoke work I can't say I'm surprised. Just making new uprights will probably soak up the whole production run sale price alone!

Sounds absolutely awesome though, can't argue with the idea of shoehorning a potent engine into something where it doesn't really belong.

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Composite Guru said:
£40k. No thanks. More ludicrous price than a Civic Type R.

I'd rather spend £40k on a proper marque.
i have just been mailed a super special mega secret discount deal from my local VW stealer, where they will give me a small discount of a Golf 4 dr 1.4 DSG which apparently has a list price of £34k before options !!!!!!!

the worlds gone bonkers ...





C.A.R.

3,967 posts

187 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
It's certainly a great-sounding concept. I wonder whether the morale / enthusiasm by the engineers was prevalent because they too felt disdain at the outgoing Renaultsport Clio?!

I don't buy into the whole 'extensive work undertaken' to fit the drivetrain and gearbox from a Megane. Yes, I'm sure there was a lot of work involved, but as much work as was required to fit a 24V V6 engine into the back of the old Clio 182?!

Back then the mid-engined awkward-looking full-sized go kart was £25,995 brand new, compared to ~£14,000 for the 172. Factor-in inflation and you get to a figure of £39,500 for the V6 - a nats' cock from the suggested OTR price of £40k for the RS.16.

But is it as 'special' as the old V6 model? I don't think so, people are suggesting that the RS.16 is nothing more than what the Renaultsport Clio should have been all along, rather than a bespoke model like the old Clio V6...


lewisf182

2,084 posts

187 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Love everything about this Clio, it looks superb as well as sounding stunning to drive.... If it came in below £30k it's one of the few cars I'd consider actually buying brand new I like it that much. But £40k, no thanks, I know there's a lot of work involved but I just don't see the point over a Megane which is a hell of a lot cheaper, in fact, about 50% cheaper....

thecremeegg

1,952 posts

202 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Bloody fantastic!
The price is high but then how much is something like an RS3 or A45 AMG? Neither would be as fun as this thing!

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Suppose it isnt so much the price as what its like to sell on and how much it drops in value, may actually end up losing less than a normal hot Clio if numbers are limited.

C.A.R.

3,967 posts

187 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Even the Clio V6s depreciated down to £10-15k if I remember right, so I imagine that this less-special special would depreciate even moreso, which could put potential buyers off.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
True, but the Clio V6 didn't actually get all that much of a warm welcome at the time, snappy on the limit and not actually all *that* fast for the money. Time has been very kind to it.

They've done a proper job here, the component list is very impressive.

I imagine whether it goes into limited run production or not will depend on how many people are calling and trying to put deposits down.

Don't write off the list price too hastily, just consider how much it would cost to take a new clio 220 and modify it to that level then sell it with factory backup and a warranty.

I'd love to do a back to back comparison between this and my 275bhp Megane-engined Mk3 Clio 200 smile I imagine the Ohlins dampers would be quite something compared to my standard Cup suspension setup.

Dion20vt

252 posts

161 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
The question is - how long before tuners can get the 1.6 to 275bhp safely?! Am I right in thinking it's the same engine in the Peugeot RCZ-R, and that is running 270bhp!

dpop

205 posts

131 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Sounds great; although isn't the new Alpine supposed to be at under £50k, and from sale next year? Don't see anyone choosing the Clio over that?

ukaskew

10,642 posts

220 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
I don't buy into the whole 'extensive work undertaken' to fit the drivetrain and gearbox from a Megane. Yes, I'm sure there was a lot of work involved, but as much work as was required to fit a 24V V6 engine into the back of the old Clio 182?!
Without knowing the profit they stand to make from it (if any) that's a bit of a moot point. I'm sure I remember hearing that the V6 was sold at a loss, considering the state of the global economy (and Renault) now I doubt the board would stomach that again, particularly after they were burnt with their last crazy-special (R26.R).

Derek Chevalier

3,942 posts

172 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Composite Guru said:
I'd rather spend £40k on a proper marque.
Such as?

mpit

373 posts

169 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Renault Clio at Cayman money. jester

It looks good, but you'd have to be mad to pay £40k for one.

lostmotel

156 posts

134 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Dion20vt said:
The question is - how long before tuners can get the 1.6 to 275bhp safely?! Am I right in thinking it's the same engine in the Peugeot RCZ-R, and that is running 270bhp!
Same base engine as the Juke Nismo. Different turbo, intake and exhaust in the 220 Trophy.

Effjay

327 posts

172 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
No doubt it'll be a great car. I think the 197's are the best looking of the RS clio's though. The Megan's engine goes in to those relatively easily I believe (I think it's K-Tech who offer the conversion service), so I think that's where my own money would be going if I wanted a quick Clio.